USA: Congress Votes on Cluster Bombs Today – Have Your Say

Published on June 16, 2016, CODEPINK.ORG.

The U.S. has spent over $8 trillion on military forces in the Persian Gulf in the last four decades, supposedly protecting the Gulf from the then-Soviet Union and Iran.

Good news: Congressman Conyers has an amendment on the defense appropriation which would permanently ban the US transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia. This amendment is expected to be voted on the House floor TODAY!

Call the Congressional switchboard now (202-224-3121) and ask to speak with your Representative. When you reach a staffer or leave a message, you can say something like: “I urge you to vote yes on the Conyers amendment to ban the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia.”

As our friends at Just Foreign Policy pointed out in their alert today, It’s a rare day indeed that we get to have a floor vote on the unhealthy relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

And if you haven’t signed our petition urging President Obama to stop all weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia, please do so now!

The U.S. has spent over $8 trillion on military forces in the Persian Gulf in the last four decades, supposedly protecting the Gulf from the then-Soviet Union and Iran. The effect has been to give backing to an absolute monarchy that opposes religious freedom, female equality and humane treatment of migrant workers–– the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The hereditary despots of Saudi Arabia are infamous for beheading and/or and floggings political dissidents. In January 2016 alone, the Saudi government beheaded 47 people, some of whom were guilty of such “crimes” as political activism. Between March 2015-2016, Saudi Arabia massacred over 6,000 people in a war of aggression against Yemen, and at least half of them were civilians. It’s time for the US to reevaluate the toxic relationship with Saudi Arabia!

Join the Campaign to Declassify the 28 pages redacted from the “Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities before and after the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001,” published in 2002. These 28 pages reportedly say that leading Saudi government officials gave the 9/11 conspirators both financial and logistical aid. Please ask your congressional representatives to co-sponsor HR-14 and S-1471 to declassify these pages. Ask them also to urge Obama to keep his promise to members of the 9/11 victims’ families to release these pages.

View Senator Bob Graham calling for declassification of the 28 pages on this video.

Thirty participants in the “28 pages breakout session” at the 2016 Summit on Saudi Arabia called upon the Summit to organize actions to declassify Saudi government involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks, including petitioning, lobbying and demonstrations. Read details and sign letters to Congress at: 28pages.org and HR14.org.